An online series of six two-hour topic-focused workshops for new and experienced Waldorf early childhood educators
Sunbridge’s EC Insights workshop series creates opportunities for Waldorf early childhood teachers of all experience levels to gain new insights in a supportive circle of early childhood colleagues. Designed as a response to requests from early childhood educators who wish to continue conversations that begin in introductory courses or to deepen their understanding of Waldorf early childhood pedagogical themes, each EC Insights lesson is supported with reading material and small assignments to further your practical work, recognizing that there are many beginning teachers starting their school year with little professional support as they carry a full teaching load as well as veteran teachers with solid pedagogical experience who long for inspiration and revitalization.
Presented virtually in six two-hour Saturday morning workshops taking place from October through April, the series consists of the following sessions:
- Session 1 / October 18: Reflections on Waldorf early childhood education and the present educational landscape, including relationships, partnerships, and conversations with Waldorf-inspired and other early childhood movements
- Session 2 / November 22: The interrelated dynamic between discipline, relationships, and developing one’s therapeutic eye
- Session 3 / January 10: Developmental transitions during the first seven years and school readiness
- Session 4 / February 28: Balancing the inner and outer work in the art of teaching
- Session 5 / March 7: Exploring the growing nature-based early childhood educational movement
- Session 6 / April 18: The science behind how and why children really learn through play
Facilitators
Our experienced and accomplished EC Insights faculty are committed lifelong learners who value the time and community required to continue learning, updating, enhancing and reflecting on their current knowledge and skills. Through active listening, our faculty create opportunities for professional transformation and strengthening as they tune in to the questions and challenges that both new and veteran teachers face, thereby supporting a respectful and collaborative community of learners interested in deep conversation and inquiry.
Lisa Miccio provides mentoring and professional development to early childhood educators, including as a lead instructor of Sunbridge’s “Introduction to Waldorf Early Childhood Education” Summer Series course. In 2023 she founded The Berry Basket playgroups and family programs in Warwick, NY, where she serves as director and parent & child playgroup teacher. From 2022-23 Lisa served Acorn Waldorf School as the Neighboring Tree Project Specialist, overseeing a grant-funded AWS initiative that aimed to create community partnerships with local early childhood educators, schools, and centers. She taught kindergarten at The Waldorf School of Garden City, where she chaired the DEIJ committee, from 2017-2022, and for a dozen years prior was on the faculty of Green Meadow Waldorf School, where she taught in and served as a co-chair of the early childhood section, directed the early childhood admissions and family programs, and was a member of the Collegium, the Collegium Committee, and the Board of Trustees. Lisa’s teaching experience also includes teaching and mentoring in the Kathmandu (Nepal) Waldorf Kindergarten. A member of the Sunbridge Board from 2013-2024, she holds a BA in English from the College of Charleston, an MS in Elementary Education from CW Post, Long Island University, and an MS in Waldorf Education from Sunbridge College. She is the mother of two Waldorf-educated sons.
Motria Shuhan is the founder/director of Acorn Waldorf School, a full WECAN member in Accord, NY, where she serves as lead teacher in the Oaks Mixed Age Kindergarten. Prior to Founding AWS, she spent nine formative years at the Mountain Laurel Waldorf School, working in the nursery and kindergarten and serving as pedagogical chair for three years. Motria also serves as a mentor and educator in Sunbridge’s Early Childhood Teacher Education program. With a special interest in the art of puppetry, Motria has staged shows for conferences, festivals, and other community events. She completed a three-year Advanced Therapeutic Course for Early Childhood Educators in Denver and her Waldorf Early Childhood training at Sunbridge College.
Meggan Gill is Sunbridge’s director of education and organizational culture, a member of the Sunbridge program faculty, co-lead instructor of Sunbridge’s “Waldorf Weekend” workshop, and the co-director of WECAN. A specialist in diversity, equity, and inclusion, she is also a member of Alma Partners and an active AWSNA and WECAN workshop presenter. Meggan’s teaching experience includes serving on the faculty of the Brooklyn Waldorf School from 2009-2020, where she led parent-and-child and kindergarten classes and was active on the Faculty Council. Prior to joining BWS, she taught kindergarten at the Olympia Waldorf School and parent-and-child and nursery classes at the New Amsterdam School. Meggan earned her undergraduate degree in health sciences from The Evergreen State College, her MEd in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in Waldorf education from SUNY Empire State, and and her certificate in Waldorf early childhood education from Sunbridge.
Rie Seo is a lead kindergarten teacher at The Waldorf School of Garden City. Before joining the WSGC faculty, Rie served as the aftercare lead teacher at New Amsterdam School. She also led nursery and parent/child programs at a Waldorf-inspired Japanese Saturday Program in Brooklyn and was the founder and lead teacher for outdoor Waldorf-inspired parent/child classes in Queens. Rie earned her BA in drama from Tamagawa University in Tokyo, Japan, her MFA in theater design from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, a certificate in early childhood education from LifeWays, and her early childhood teacher education diploma from Sunbridge.
Praise from past participants:
“I have only positive things to say about this workshop. It was like consulting with a circle of wise woman “elders.”
“The content… was highly relevant and applicable to my current teaching experience. I appreciated the research and anecdotes, time for reflection and time for sharing. All of it filled the well from which I can draw!”
“Lisa is a master teacher, in my opinion. She has the loveliest way of sharing knowledge, insight and experiences while also coming with open questions, pondering and ideas to consider. I literally could listen to her talk for twice the time! I’m incredibly grateful.”
“Motria was an inspiration to learn from. She was well researched and so intelligent. I was so inspired by her dedication to outdoor EC programming not just for Waldorf children but for all children.”
“Meggan is very professional and always prepared. I found her to be grounded and so personable. I loved the materials she brought–practical things like mediations, verses, poems. Her reverence for all life was inspiring.”
“Rie was so lovely and soft-spoken but wow, what she said was just so powerful every single time. If I could come and visit her classroom, I would!”
“I thought the content and the way in which everything was presented was outstanding. The topics were relevant and thoughtful. I appreciated the thoughtfulness that was put into preparing for each topic and the amount of time for listening and break out rooms. I really thought it was stellar.”
“I wish it would continue!”
Prerequisite
EC Insights participants must have completed, at minimum, a 5-day introductory level foundational course in Waldorf early childhood pedagogy such as Sunbridge’s Introduction to Waldorf Early Childhood Education Summer Series course, or its equivalent.
Schedule
Zoom sessions take place 10:30 am – 12:30 pm (Eastern/NY Time) on the following Saturdays:
October 18 / November 22 / January 10 / February 28 / March 7 / April 18
Cost
$460 includes all resource materials, yearlong access to your Sunbridge Google Classroom, and a $25 non-refundable registration fee.
NOTE: EC Insights is presented as a whole series; individual sessions may not be signed up for separately. Refunds will not be issued for sessions not attended. See registration form for full refund policy.
Available Discounts
25% off for
- Schools sending 2 or more participants
- OR Sunbridge teacher education program graduates
- OR Payments made in Canadian dollars
Discounts may not be combined. Qualification for discounts will be verified by Sunbridge staff.
Free for current Sunbridge program students in good standing (plus a $25 non-refundable registration fee)
NOTE: Registrants who sign up for both EC Insights as well as for Deepening the Picture of the Whole Child: Integrating Waldorf Wisdom with Current Sensory Integration Research and Relationship to Neurodiversity, our workshop series held in the afternoon on the same Saturday dates, will receive a discounted price of $690 for both workshops. Participants choosing this option may not apply any other discount.
Questions?
Please contact Barbara Vitale, admissions and summer coordinator, at [email protected] or 845-425-0055 x20
We reserve the right to make faculty substitutions when necessary. See registration form for refund policy.
Sunbridge is a New York State Education Department Approved Sponsor of Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (NYSED CTLE), enabling teachers of any background to choose Sunbridge for their CLTE/CEU professional development credits. Check to see if your state honors our status.
